Existence
by FemaleChauvinist
Summary: Winnie Black Morello knows her husband doesn't believe in vampires, but hearing him actually say it makes her feel as if part of herself is fading away.


**Disclaimer:** Recognizable characters and plotlines are the property of Stephenie Meyer; all original characters and story © 2017 FemaleChauvinist.

 _Do not post without permission. Do not copy/print without including the above disclaimer in its entirety._

 **A/N: Jacob and Nessie's daughter Winnie marries her husband Justin in my story "Choices," while "Jasmine Pearl" introduces their children. The story where Winnie's afraid of wolves is called "Wolfsong." Barbie**

 _2056_

 _Esme Renée nine_

 **Winnie**

"Bedtime," I announced, coming into the dining room where the kids sat reading at the table. Carl and Jasmine got up right away, but Esme Renée sat without moving.

"Renée, did you hear your mother?" Justin asked sternly.

"I heard," she said softly, but she turned another page in her book without looking up.

Justin reached out and pulled her book from in front of her, closing it and setting it aside. "Esme Renée Morrello! What is the meaning of this?"

She looked up desperately, fear shining in her green eyes. "I don't want to go to bed, Daddy."

"I gathered that," Justin said dryly. "Why not?"

Esme Renée bit her lip. "Because…I'm scared. Danielle was telling me about vampires today…about how they hide in the closet and come out at night and suck your blood."

Suddenly I knew how Dad felt when I was afraid of wolves…though this was a little different; most vampires would, in fact, be quite happy to drink Esme Renée's blood.

"There are no such things as vampires, Esme Renée," Justin said firmly. "Now, I don't want to hear any more about this. Go to bed, and don't scare Jazzie with this nonsense."

"Yes, sir." She got up without more argument and left the room.

Actually, vampires probably wouldn't even faze Jazzie…but I was too stunned to think about that. I felt as if Justin had dumped a bucket of cold water over my head… _"No such things as vampires…your family doesn't exist…part of you doesn't exist…"_

I started as Justin put a hand on my shoulder. "Winnie? Are you all right?"

"Yes…I'm fine. I'd…better go tuck the girls in."

 **oOo**

"Mommy," Esme Renée whispered, clinging to my hand as I pulled the covers over her, "is Daddy telling the truth? There aren't any vampires?"

I bit my lip, torn between the truth and not wanting to scare her…and she couldn't know the truth, regardless. "Yes," I whispered, "he's telling the truth." In that he wasn't lying; you had to _know_ the truth in order to lie. "There aren't any vampires in your closet," I added.

"Will you look?" she begged.

I checked the closet and then kissed her good night and left the room, leaving the door ajar so that the light from the hall would spill into the room.

"Justin…I think I'm going to bed early," I said as I walked into the living room after telling Carl good night…he claimed he was too old to be tucked in.

He looked up from his book. "Are you sure you're all right, Winnie?"

"Yes…just tired."

But I couldn't sleep. It was after Justin had come to bed, several hours later, that I finally dozed off. And then it was only to dream.

The vampire members of my family stood in front of me, grouped as if for a portrait. None of them were smiling; I couldn't read the expressions on their faces. Then I heard Justin's fateful pronouncement… "There are no such things as vampires!" It echoed around us, and my family faded from sight.

Dad and Momma moved into view then, his arm around her shoulders. But as I watched, she, too, faded, becoming oddly transparent.

In growing horror, I looked down at my own arm, and watched as even I began to fade, the quarter of me that was vampire vanishing from existence.

It was then that I screamed.

 **oOo**

I woke to Justin shaking my shoulder. "You all right, Winnie?" he asked sleepily.

"Yes," I gasped. "Bad dream…"

"What was it?"

"I…don't remember," I lied. I lay back, trying to calm myself as Justin went instantly to sleep again. It was funny, almost, that my nightmare was that vampires didn't exist; Esme Renée's would have been that they _did_.

I couldn't shake the dream; couldn't shake the fear that the family I had known all my life didn't exist…had never existed. And where did that leave me?

Finally I got out of bed and padded down to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea.

I needed to hear their voices, I admitted to myself finally. It was too late at night to call Momma…and she wasn't fully vampire, anyway. But which one?

I knew, even before I decided. It was Uncle Carlisle, of course; I needed his calm reassurance. If he was at work, I would try one of the others…but he wasn't. The phone had rung only twice when I heard his smooth voice greeting me. "Hello, Winnie. Is something wrong?"

"No," I whispered. "I just…needed to hear your voice. To know you're real."

"Why?" he asked softly.

I sighed. "Esme Renée didn't want to go to bed tonight…because she was afraid of vampires…and Justin told her there were no such things."

"You knew he didn't believe in them, Winnie."

Of course I had. Justin was a lawyer; he believed in evidences and provable facts, not myths and legends. But… "It's different hearing him _say_ it," I said in a small voice. "And then I dreamed that you all just faded away…and even Momma and I were turning transparent."

"Winnie," Uncle Carlisle said gently, "you know he never said he didn't believe in _us_ ; just that we aren't vampires."

"I know, but…you _are_ real, aren't you?"

"Very much so."

"And a vampire?"

He chuckled. "Well, considering my lack of thirst around human blood, some seem inclined to debate that point…but, yes, I assure you, Winnie, I'm a hundred percent vampire. Feel any better?"

I sighed. "Yes. I'm sorry, Uncle Carlisle; I don't even know why it bothered me so much."

"It's all right," he assured me. "Any time you need to talk, I'm here."

"Thanks."

"You'd better be getting to bed now, Pooh Bear."

I smiled at the sound of the old nickname I hadn't heard in years. "All right. Good night, Uncle Carlisle."

He existed, and I existed, and it really didn't matter whether anyone believed in vampires or not; they couldn't change that fact.

The End

 _I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!_

 _Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. If you have questions regarding my Twilight alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie_


End file.
